The Parent Trap
by ioanhoratio
Summary: Set between The Triangle and Forbidden Fruit: Danny and Lindsay tell their parents about the pregnancy. How will the Messers and Monroes react to the news? Read to find out!
1. Why Not the Hallmark Card?

**The Parent Trap**

**Part 1of 6: Why Not a Hallmark Card?**

**By: ioanhoraito**

**A/N So a long time ago I thought of this story. I've always wanted to write it (even outlined it), but just never got around to it. I've had this story in mind for so long that I've hinted at it in A Quiet Goodbye like it was cannon. LOL! Everyones reaction to those hints was so positive that I decided to make myself sit down and write this. Luckily my kids slept until 7:30 this morning (a true rarity) and while my hubby enjoyed sleeping in, I enjoyed a quiet hour or so at the computer, writing in the morning light...sigh...Anyway, I hope you enjoy my take on how the Messers and Monroes react to the baby news! This is set between _The Triangle_ and _Forbidden Fruit_.**

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"Tell me again why we had to do this at their house. Why couldn't we have just met in the city, gone to a restaurant and been done with it?" Lindsay grumbled as Danny turned the car down the street that led to his childhood home.

He rolled his eyes. They had been over this a few times already, and Lindsay was just being difficult. "'Cause my ma nearly had a coronary when I suggested it. She was insulted that I wouldn't think to bring you here so she could cook for us."

Lindsay groaned and leaned her head against the passenger side window, hoping the coolness of the glass would help her heated cheeks. "What kind of coronary is she going to have when we tell her I'm pregnant?" she asked then added petulantly, "At least in public she is less likely to flip out."

Danny snorted, "That's where ya wrong Montana. My ma isn't to discriminate when it comes to her temper, public or private."

"Wow, really not helping Danny," Lindsay grumbled as her hand moved to stroke the tiny bump that was carefully hidden beneath her dark navy knit shirt and coordinating cardigan. Lindsay was terrified that she would walk in the door and Danny's mom would take one look at her and instantly know. Danny had assured her many times that she had nothing to fear, that the only reason he could tell she was pregnant was because he knew what to look for. This was the first time his parents and Lindsay had ever met and they had nothing to compare Lindsay's appearance to. They wouldn't notice the fuller breast, the slightly paler pallor, or the looser fitting clothing.

"Linds," Danny said reaching over to grab her other hand, "it's gonna be fine, a'right? No matter what happens, we know we are doin' the right thing. And this baby is already pretty important to us. My ma is going to love being a grandma, and she will be excited about it."

"And your dad?" Lindsay hedged carefully.

Danny just shrugged. "Who knows. He can be a pretty selfish bastard, but ever since Louie,

he's been a little...I don't know...a little bit more considerate."

When he didn't elaborate Lindsay tightened her grip on on his hand in a silent show of support. She knew Danny resented his father's behavior towards his family. Vinnie Messer's involvement with unsavory character's and the almost constant threat of law enforcement carrying him off to jail had left an impact on Danny. It was hard to be the son of the black sheep of the family, and she knew how tenuous their relationship was now. When Louie had died, it had been a wake up call for him, but Lindsay wasn't sure, and she knew Danny wasn't sure, if it came a little too late.

Part of Danny's commitment to this little baby stemmed from his desire to be nothing like his own father, and on a moment of impulse, Lindsay pressed his hand tightly against the small swell of her stomach and affirmed, "This little one is pretty lucky to have you as a father Danny."

"Do you really believe that?" He asked quietly.

"Yes. No matter what happens in our lives I will always be grateful that you are the father of my child," Lindsay assured him.

"But I've never changed a diaper before Linds. I've barely even held a kid before. I might drop the thing," Danny pointed out, "How can you know I'm gonna be a good dad?" His own insecurities bleeding out.

"Because, there's more to being a dad than just changing diapers Danny. You'll learn that. I know you're going to be a good dad because you are hardworking, committed, fun, stubborn, and have a lot of love to give. I know because the moment I handed you the ultrasound photo you had this tiny, almost imperceptible smile on your face. I'd just rocked your world with the biggest bombshell possible, and your first instinct was happiness. That's how I know, and that's why I decided to give us another shot; a real shot at being happy," she explained.

Danny had to pull his hand away to make the turn into his parent's driveway, and threw the car into park. He turned the engine off, but instead of turning to the door to exit, he turned to face her. "I know right now I don't deserve you, but I promise I will do everything I can to become that guy that you believe in so much."

Lindsay felt her throat begin to clog at his admission, and swallowed quickly. The last thing she wanted was Danny's parents to see her face red and puffy from crying. To lighten the mood she said simply, "Good. The first thing you could do is get me out of here and we'll just send your parents a Hallmark card telling them about the baby."

Sensing her need for levity, Danny chuckled. "What would the card say? Something like 'For the new grandparents; I knocked up my girlfriend'? No can do. I don't think they make that card Montana. Besides when you taste my ma's cookin' you'll be happy we came."

He leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, then turned and opened the door. Lindsay gave a dramatic sigh, and followed suit. Danny waited for her as she rounded the vehicle, then took her hand in his own. They made their way up the cement path that led to a small set of weathered stairs. The house was a nondescript white house, nestled among other nondescript white houses. The front lawn was tiny, but it was obvious someone took care in the flower bed that ran along the fence that separated their bit of property. The two story home was in need of a fresh coat of paint, but seemed to be well kept. Any other time, Lindsay would have taken a moment to image what little Danny Messer would have looked like running up the steps from school or playing in the yard, but her mind was racing with anxiety at the prospect of Danny's parents' reaction to their news.

Her legs suddenly stopped moving and she jerked Danny back slightly by her abrupt stop.

"Lindsay?"

"I think I might be sick," she mumbled.

Her morning sickness had been steadily wanning as her pregnancy progressed, and these days it seemed to only appear when an odor was particularly pungent, but Danny suspected her nausea had less to do with the baby and more to do with nerves.

He cupped her face with both his hands and looked directly in her eyes. "Take a deep breath," he commanded, "and let it out slowly. My parents are goin' to love you, and they are goin' to be happy about this baby." He wasn't entirely certain if that was true, but he knew Lindsay needed to hear it. "If at any point you wanna to leave, then we'll leave. Simple as that. I love my parents, but you are my priority now, 'K?"

Lindsay finished letting our her breath of air, then nodded. Reassured by his commitment to her, she forced her mind to calm. A few deep breaths later, she was taking his hand and declared,

"I'm ready."

Danny led her to the front door, the stairs being so small that she stood a step beneath him, still gripping tightly to his hand. With one finale wink and smile in her direction, Danny raised his hand and knocked.

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**Thanks for Reading! I apologize for any errors. I typed this very quickly in an effort to get it done and posted, hopefully there aren't too many.**

**The next chapter: The Messers learn about the baby...let's just say it's not the reaction Danny and Lindsay were going for.**


	2. Thank Goodness I Have Cake

**The Parent Trap**

**Part 2 of 6: Thank Goodness I Have Cake**

**By: ioanhoratio**

**Alright folks, here it is. The "grandma and grandpa Messer find out about baby Messer" chapter. I made some assumptions here about Danny's religious background, but it's my story so I can do that, right? LOL! Thank you to those who added this story to their favorites or to their alerts and a special super star thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter: NothatRose, afrozenheart412, rhymenocerous, Sweet LIL loz, Dine89, laurzz, and uscrocks. You guys are fantastic and I appreciate each of you for taking the time and letting me know what you think!**

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As Lindsay stood waiting, following Danny's knock, she realized she could hear the sounds of the tv coming through the walls. They waited another few seconds then Danny raised his hand and knocked harder, he too having noticed the sounds. After the louder knock the sounds of the tv silenced and the door soon flew open.

Lindsay poked her head around Danny's body, and knew instantly she was staring at his mother. Her blue eyes were the mirror image of his, her chin had a familiar stubborn set to it, and her nose was straight and sharp. But where Danny's hair was light and shaggy, hers was dark and curly, though if Lindsay had to guess she wouldn't say it was her natural hair color. She was taller than the average woman, her height nearly equal to Danny's, and as she wrapped her arms around her son, Lindsay got a look at her dark red acrylic nails.

"Danny! Get in here," the older woman exclaimed in a heavy New York accent. She clung tightly to him for a moment, then pulled back and tugged him into the house.

Lindsay made her way up the steps and was surprised to find Danny's mother blocking her way. She had assumed she would still be preoccupied with her son, but apparently she had just shoved him behind her.

"Oh Danny, she's so beautiful," she cried, and Lindsay soon found herself firmly pressed against the other woman's bosom, her flowery perfume flooding Lindsay's nostrils. Before Lindsay could react, she had been grabbed by the hand and hauled into the house. "Let me get ya in the light so I can see ya better," Mrs. Messer said, giving Danny a pointed look.

Taking the hint, Danny began the introductions. "Ma, this is Lindsay. Lindsay this is my ma, Gina Messer."

Still a little stunned, Lindsay managed to respond, "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Messer."

"Please, cawl me Gina," she advised, cupping Lindsay's cheeks with both hands. Lindsay hoped her discomfort didn't show on her face, and using her years as a criminal investigator, quickly schooled her features into an easy smile. Oblivious, Gina patted Lindsay's cheek and continued, "We're so excited to have ya here. The last girl Danny brought home was Aiden, God bless her soul, an' Danny was quick to assure me they were just friends." The roll of her eyes a manifestation of her frustration with her son's dating habits. "He hasn't said once you're just his friend so I can only hope that means my son has finally found a nice girl ta settle down with."

"Ma!" Danny scolded, "geez, we're jus' here for dinner. Could ya hold off tryin' to marry us, and would ya giv'er some space to breath, please?"

"Well?" Gina snapped back indignant, "is Lindsay here as just a friend?"

Danny sighed and raising his arms in surrender admitted, "No, she's not here as a friend."

With a triumphant smile, Gina declared, "See! Now we've got somethin' to celebrate. Any girl that can catch the eye of my Danny has ta be pretty special." She stepped back and took in Lindsay's appearance. "You really are a pretty little thing," Gina observed, "Not at all like any of Danny's other girls, and you definitely don't sound like any of 'em. What part of New York are you from?"

"I'm not from New York, I'm from Montana," Lindsay clarified.

A look of confusion spread over Gina's features. "Not from New York? Huh." She tapped a painted finger against her lips for a moment then raised an eyebrow. "Wait, did you say Montana?"

Lindsay nodded slowly, uncertain of Gina's reaction. She was caught of guard when Gina started laughing. Lindsay looked to Danny, but his perplexed look matched her own.

Gina dabbed at an eye that had begun to water due to her laughter. "Well, that explains it. For two years I hear about this girl name Montana, and then outta no where I start hearin' about a Lindsay. It was you all along wasn't it?" Gina ended with a high pitched laughter.

Danny rolled his eyes and chose to change the subject. "Where's Pops?"

"I made 'im go change his shirt, ya know, put on somethin' nice. He'll be out in just a second," Gina explained and in the same breath added, "I've made grilled polenta with vegetables and of course Danny's favorite, pasta Amatriciana. Everything's done and ready to eat. Danny why don't you take Lindsay to get washed up while I get your father."

Danny nodded and tilted his head as indication for Lindsay to follow him. She moved quickly passed his mother; better to avoid further physical contact. As soon as they rounded the corner that opened into a hallway, they heard Gina yell, "Vin, Come on an' get out here!"

Danny and Lindsay's eyes met and they both struggled with swallowing down their laughter.

"Sorry, Linds," Danny offered as he flipped the light on in the small, flower theme bathroom, "I shoulda known she was gonna freak out like that."

Lindsay stepped passed him to the sink so she could wash her hands. She looked at him in the reflection of the mirror and gave him an indulgent smile. "Well, at least it doesn't seem like she hates me," she shrugged and stepped to the side, making room for Danny to stand next to her and share the sink.

The two adults smiled like children as they battled for space under the rushing water. "Come on Montana, scoot over. If we make a mess I'm gonna tell my ma it was you," Danny warned.

"Oh, is Danny Messer afraid of his mommy?" Lindsay whispered in his ear, grabbing the hand towel that hung on the wall.

Danny snatched the towel out of her hands and grumbled, "Ya see? Everybody thinks you're this sweet country girl that can do no wrong. Not ten minutes ago I was bein' all supportive an' loving-a good boyfriend-and now you're mockin' me. I'm the only person that gets ta see the real you huh?"

Lindsay stared at him, her expression soft. She then pressed her body tightly against his, stood on her tippy toes and placed a gentle kiss against his lips, then answered quietly and sincerely, "Yeah, you are."

Recognizing the significance of what she was saying, Danny felt a giddy sense of excitement move through his body. He had spent his youth and young adult life being so opposed to domesticity, yet here he stood with his other half, the mother of his child, and he'd never been happier. Danny couldn't allow himself to think about how close he had come to loosing this, so instead he focused on what the future held for them.

"A'right, I guess I'll keep ya," he said, both knowing his begrudged tone was far from his actual feelings. "We better hurry or my ma will come and track us down an' try ta make out with you."

"Danny! That's gross!" Lindsay scolded, "She's just excited to meet me and is being very...affectionate."

"Yeah, well, I shoulda realized bringin' you home to meet them was tantamount to a marriage proposal in her mind," Danny murmured. Though he understood Lindsay's reasoning and even accepted that she was right, it still stung to think of her rejection.

Hearing the hurt in his voice Lindsay quickly reminded him, "Hey, it's not about if, it's about when we decide to get married, and this isn't about her. It's about you, me, and our baby."

"Sure," Danny acknowledged, and wanting to change the subjected asked, "So do you want to tell them right away and get it over and done with, or do we just play it by ear and tell them when we see an opening?"

"Let's play it by ear," she answered. She wasn't sure she was going to be able to really enjoy the meal either way, but she would like to give the Messers a chance to get to know her a little bit before they announced the news of her pregnancy.

"A'right, let's head back."

As Danny led her to the dinning room, Lindsay took note of the many framed photographs hanging on the walls of Danny and Louie in various stages of growth. Her heart swelled as she thought of her own child, and how he or she might look, and the many photos they would soon have hanging in their own home.

"Here they are," Gina declared as she carried a basket of sliced bread to the table. The dining room was small, mostly an extension of the kitchen, but the table cloth looked new with its clean bright white lace, the dishes seemed to be what was commonly referred to as the good china and the glasses were fancy and long stemmed. Lindsay felt overwhelmed at the effort Gina had given to ensure a successful evening.

"Wow Ma, this looks great," Danny declared, confirming Lindsay's suspicions that this was not how the Messer family normally dined.

"And is smells wonderful too," Lindsay quickly agreed. To her surprise, his mother blushed at the compliment.

"Oh, go on," Gina said, waving them off, she then turned to the man sitting at the round table who, in response to her glare, hastily stood.

"Pop," Danny said in way of greeting.

The older man nodded at his son and before Danny could even attempt to introduce him, he had stuck his hand out to Lindsay and gruffly said, "Vinnie Messer, how ya doin'?"

Lindsay's mind flashback to the first time she had met Danny, and she eagerly took the proffered hand in a firm grip and returned, "Lindsay Monroe." Though Vinnie's features favored Louie's, with thick dark hair, stockier build and rounded cheeks, for a small moment Lindsay could clearly see the same fire that burned in Danny's eyes.

"Your girl's gotta strong grip Danny," he said, his tone full of respect.

"Oh, what a thing to say," Gina moaned, "Well, never mind that. Let's all sit down an' eat before the food gets cold."

Lindsay gave Danny's father one of her full face smiles, and to her delight the man's stoic features lightened into a small grin of his own and he gave her a knowing wink.

The four situated themselves around the table, and Lindsay was grateful that her stomach seemed hungry and ready for food. As the pasta was being passed around Gina cried, "I forgot the wine. I'll be right back."

She rose from the table, and Lindsay threw Danny a panicked look. While she figured this would provide the perfect opportunity to announce their news, she was still hoping for a bit more time. Danny read the silent plea in her eyes and cursed himself, he should have thought about that. His mom was as passionate about her wine as she was about her cooking. She also wasn't stupid. He knew where her mind would go if they told her Lindsay wasn't drinking alcohol. His mind scrambled for a reasonable excuse.

"Here we go," Gina said, heading straight for Lindsay's glass, "This will go perfectly with the hearty meat sauce."

Lindsay raised a hand to stop her from pouring. "I'm sorry, I can't..." she trailed off, unsure how to finish her sentence.

Gina's lips dropped into a frown that Lindsay had seen a hundred times on. "You can't?"

Danny sent a grateful prayer heavenward as his brain found an answer. "She can't Ma 'cause she's on secondary call. We can't drink if we're on call ya know."

"Oh," Gina said, disappointment clear, "Well one glass won't hurt nothin' right?"

"Gina, let the girl be, ya don't wanna get her fired do ya?" Vinnie told her.

"Of course not," she sputtered, indignant at even the suggestion. She turned to Lindsay, a smile on her face and assured, "I undastand. Can I get ya somethin' else ta drink? I think I've got some tea, or water."

"Water please," Lindsay answered. She hated having to lie to them. Sometimes the realization that she and Danny had gone about things the wrong way hung heavily on her, but they were making the necessary changes in themselves and in their relationship to find their footing, and to make a life for their baby and for each other. She felt Danny's knee tap hers and she looked up at him. A moment of silent communication passed as Lindsay was again reminded that she was not stuck in this alone.

Soon the wine had been poured, Lindsay's glass filled with ice water, and they were devouring the delicious meal while Gina regaled Lindsay with tales of Danny's childhood antics.

"Then there was the time he and Louie decided they were going to give the dog a hair cut," Gina began another story.

"Which is a story we'll save for another time I think," Danny interrupted, having heard enough about himself for one evening.

Seeing her chance, Lindsay jumped in. "This is wonderful," she praised after swallowing a mouthful of pasta. "I haven't had a lot of Italian cooking in my life, but Danny has done his best to educate me on what is really good and now I know where he gets his ability in the kitchen."

"Thank you honey," Gina grinned, using a hand to pat Lindsay's arm, then asked, "What kinds of foods did you grow up with?"

"Meat and potatoes," Lindsay told them, laughing. "My mom and dad firmly believed in eating what you can raise and grow. My family owns a ranch in Montana so I've eaten plenty of steak, bacon, ham, pork chops, beef jerky and chicken. While my dad mostly dealt with the live stock, my mom had her own garden, so we had a lot of vegetables."

"Before my knees got bad, I use ta have a little garden out back. It was mostly tomatoes, but I really enjoyed takin' care of it," Gina revealed. "Do you miss Montana?"

Lindsay chewed the bite she had taken and thought about her answered, aware that Danny had focused his attention on her. "I do miss it," she admitted, once she had swallowed her bite. "I miss parts of it. I miss my family, I miss the big open sky, the quiet, the freedom, but to tell you the truth every time I go to visit Montana I miss New York. So I think of both places as my home."

"And you came to New York to work at the crime lab, correct?"

"Yes ma'am."

"She's so polite Danny," Gina beamed. It was now clear to Lindsay that when either Gina or Vinnie wanted to comment on her they would address their remarks to their son. Danny's mouth was stuffed full of food so he just nodded. "But tell me dear, you seem so sweet, what got you into bein' a CSI?"

Danny forced the food down his throat so he could intervene. "Ma, ya don't gotta interrogate 'er."

"Who's interrogating?" Gina demanded defensively, "I'm jus' tryin' to get to know the girl. It's not like you've been much help. You're so tight lipped about ya life."

"Ma!"

"Don't snap at your mom," Vinnie stepped in.

Lindsay watched as Danny clenched his jaw and swallowed whatever smart ass retort he would have delivered. She knew he was trying to be on his best behavior and she knew why he had stopped is mother's questioning.

"Please, don't be upset with him," she spoke up, "He's just trying to help me. See, the reason I became a crime scene investigator is because I was involved in a crime when I was young. It was a very difficult time and Danny knows I'm not very comfortable talking about it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Gina responded, both hands coming to rest over her heart.

"Don't be," Lindsay affirmed, "When I was faced with deciding what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, I realized I wanted to help people who were going through what I had been through. I found my place in the field of forensics and I love it."

"Well that certainly is admirable," Gina smiled, then turning to Danny said, "She's so brave. You know Edna Richardson from my book club, her daughter is a security guard at a bank in Midtown an' she goes on and on about how brave she is for bein' a female guard, well wait until I tell her my son's datin' a female detective."

Lindsay was thankful for the change in subject. She hated how awkward it always felt explaining what had happened to her, but both Gina and Vinnie had taken what she had said with aplomb; no pity, no disdain, just acceptance. She caught Danny's eye and gave a slight nod.

Danny reached for her hand, and taking a deep breath began, "Actually Ma, you can tell her we're more than jus' dating."

Gina's face lit up and she mimicked them by excitedly grabbing her husband's hand in her own and pronounced, "I knew it. Ya gettin' married."

"Hold on, Ma," Danny warned, "we wanted to tell you both in person that you're going to be grandparents."

A stunned look passed over his mother's face and his father's normally stern expression held the smallest perception of a smile. Gina recovered quickly and a huge grin spread over her face. "Well, not the order I expected things to happen, but who worries about that these days right? I'm finally gettin' a grandbaby!"

She jumped up from her chair and in response every one stood. She was pulling them both into her arms and laughing through her tears. Vinnie shook Danny's hand then gave Lindsay a clumsy hug.

"This is so wonderful," Gina gushed, "Thank goodness I have a cake."

Lindsay couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out at her comment, so she buried her face in Danny's neck as he hugged her tightly, his own chest shaking suspiciously. Gina soon returned to the table carrying a large chocolate cake and four small saucers.

She danced around the table, passing out the sweet morsels. Her face beamed as she sat down and dove into her slice. "Ya know, this cake recipe was my great grandmother's, she passed it on to her daughter, my grandmother, who passed it on down to my mother, who passed it to me, and now I will have my own daughter to pass it on to, and then you can pass it on to your daughter."

Lindsay felt a wave of emotion build deep in her chest. The hormones raging through her body, combined with the emotional roller coaster, and the tender gesture from Danny's mother nearly sent Lindsay into tears. She had to blink rapidly and take a few deep breathes.

"Oh honey, I didn't mean ta upset ya," the older woman cried.

Lindsay laughed at herself. "You didn't, that was just a very sweet thing to say Gina, thank you."

"Of course, darling. Now I hope you eventually feel comfortable callin' me mom," Gina pressed, "After all, you're marrin' my son. Oh my goodness there's so much to plan for, an' the clocks tickin'. How far a long are you dear?"

"I'm about twelve weeks," Lindsay said, "but..."

"Merciful heavens, we really are gonna have to move fast. But that means we're gonna have a spring baby. A winter wedding and a spring baby," Gina gleefully exclaimed, cutting Lindsay off. "Now I don't care who you choose to marry ya, but I think it would be marvelous ta have Father McDougal perform the baby's baptism. He's the one who baptized both Louie and Danny. I can't wait ta tell 'im. He'll be so thrilled, although understandably a little more so after you're married." She gave Lindsay a conspiratorial wink. "An' just think, if it's a boy maybe you can name him after Louie! Wouldn't that be so nice?"

"Ma!" Danny practically shouted.

"What?" Gina returned, upset at having been pulled from her plan making.

"You need to take a breath here," Danny started. Lindsay's nervousness has returned when Gina had begun spouting off plans for their future. She wasn't sure how the woman would react to what Danny was about to say. "We're glad you're excited about the baby. We really are. We want you both to be involved; to be grandma and grandpa, 'K? But Lindsay an' I aren't ready to get married yet."

Gina's frown returned, her confusion shown clearly on her face. "Not ready ta get married? I don't undastand. You're ready to have a baby, but ya not ready to get married? Daniel Messer, I can't believe you. I know ya don't go ta church an' all that, but I thought you at least understood that if ya get a girl pregnant you do the right thing. This is my grandchild for cryin' out loud."

"Gina, Danny did ask..." Lindsay tried to explain, but was interrupted by Danny. "Look Ma, this isn't your business a'right? Jus' be happy for us, an' leave it at that, a'right?"

"But I don't undastand," Gina tried again, "If you love each other, and if you're gonna have a baby together why not get married?"

Lindsay wanted to tell her that Danny had proposed, but his reaction to her previous attempt had effectively communicated that he didn't want her to. She could see how agitated Gina was becoming and how defensive Danny was getting. "Gina, Danny and I are going to be together. We are going to be married. I know that," Lindsay told her, "I just think we need time to strengthen our relationship, rebuild it."

"Rebuild it?" Gina asked upset, "What happened to it?"

Lindsay felt her stomach drop. She hadn't meant to let that bit of information out. She didn't know how much Danny's parents knew about what had happened after the death of Ruben Sandoval, but judging by his mom's reaction she would guess not much.

"Leave it alone Ma," Danny cautioned.

In a huff, Gina asked, "Well can I at least ask Father McDougal about the baptism?"

"No ma, ya can't. 'Cause Lindsay ain't Catholic an' we haven't talked about it yet."

Gina's face crumpled into disbelief and sadness. "Haven't talked about it? What's there ta talk about? You have to have the baby baptized."

"Gina, babe," Vinnie attempted to intervene, but Gina simply raised her voice and spoke over him. "What if somethin' happens, huh? I can't bear the thought of that little baby lost in limbo."

"That's it, we're leavin'" Danny said standing up, his tone was surprisingly calm, but there was an edge in his voice that suggested at his suppressed anger. "Thanks for great dinner Ma, Pops."

He helped Lindsay move her chair back so she could stand as well. Caught between wanting to support Danny and wanting to make sure everything was alright with his parents, Lindsay hesitated. "Are you sure Danny?"

"Yep," he bit out, "We came ta tell 'em about the baby an' we've don that. What they choose to do with that information is no longer our problem. Let's go."

Lindsay stood slowly, allowing for either of Danny's parents to stop them. When no such protests were heard she reluctantly turned and thanked them both for dinner and told them how nice it was to have met them.

Gina merely murmured goodbye, not able to contain the tears of hurt. Vinnie finally stood. "I'll show ya out."

"I know the way," Danny barked.

"Then led the way," Vinnie snapped back, his tone allowing for no argument. Danny just shrugged, and grabbing Lindsay's hand, began walking towards the front door. The sun had set and darkness welcomed them as Danny opened the door. Vinnie moved quickly to switch the porch light on to ensure no one tripped on the stairs and he followed them out into the night.

Once they were all back on flat ground Vinnie called out, "Hey Danny hold up a sec."

Danny immediately stopped and turned to his father, his frustration clear as he asked, "What?"

Vinnie ran a hand through his hair, his fingers reaching for a cigarette that usually sat on his ear, when he remembered Gina had made him take it out when he had changed his shirt. He let his hand fall uselessly to his side. "Look, Danny, ya know your ma. She reacts emotionally. Jus' give 'er some time and she'll calm down. This time tomorrow she'll be goin' on an' on about how excited she is about the baby. Ya know?"

"Yeah I know," Danny huffed in frustration, "she's always been like that and I guess she always will."

Vinnie frowned. "Yeah, well there are things you do that piss her off."

"What's that suppose ta mean?" Danny asked defensively.

"It means we all make mistakes, an' we all have room for a lil' patience and forgiveness in our lives," Vinnie told him, "She's your ma, and maybe you're startin' ta understand what that means."

Danny was caught off guard by that statement. He knew what his father meant. He was already experiencing the weight of responsibility and the emotions involved with being a parent, and the baby hadn't even been born yet. Perhaps there was room in his life to allow his mom a bit of compassion. He dropped his head and sighed. "A'right Pop. Tell Ma ta call me when she's calmed down."

Vinnie nodded, and turned to Lindsay. "Please don't take any of it personally. Since Louie...since Louie died it's been difficult for 'er, especially when it comes to Danny. She jus' wants to see him happy."

Lindsay's heart went out to Gina at the thought of losing her child, her hand moving protectively to her stomach. "I understand. Thank you."

"For what it's worth, I'm glad for ya both," he offered, then hesitated, "and...ah...Danny, I, ah, want ya ta know I'm proud of ya. Bein' a father is pretty hard an' I know I failed more than I succeeded, but you, I know you'll be great at it. An' I really appreciate that you're willin' to let me be involved in your child's life. I promise ta do better by your child than I did by my own."

Danny was stunned. So much of his life had been spent being angry with his father, and Danny suddenly realized what he wanted most was for his father to acknowledge that he had hurt his family. Maybe it was selfish, or childish, but a part of Danny had always wanted an apology, and knew he would never be able to move forward in his relationship with his father until that happened. Now, having heard Vinnie Messer admit to having not been a decent father, Danny didn't know how to react.

There wasn't going to be a hug, or any words of love, but for the first time in Danny's adult life he was able to look at his father and feel grateful. "Thanks Dad," he said simply, but sincerely.

Vinnie again merely nodded. "Now be safe drivin' home, a'right. You've got some pretty precious cargo."

"Of course," Danny promised, and with a wave turned to head to the car.

Impulsively Lindsay moved forward and threw her arms around the older man's neck and hugged him. Vinnie reacted without thought and wrapping his arms around her, hugged her back. It only lasted a moment, but it was enough. She grinned at him then quickly made her way to the car. She knew that the conversation on the drive back was going to be long and involved, and she was looking forward to it.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Phew! Is anyone else as worn out as I am? I hope this chapter didn't feel too rushed. Also, I'm not Catholic, but I did try to research as much as I could-although I have to admit the Code of Canon Law was a little confusing at times, but I did try! ^_^ Anyway, next up: that long and involved conversation.**


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